Kraits are boldly banded snakes found in grassland, scrub, and jungle of India and southeast Asia. They are primarily active at night. If disturbed, they are often reluctant to bite, balling up and hiding their heads inside their coils. Nonetheless, kraits are among the most dangerous snakes in India and south-east Asia in terms of total human fatalities. Kraits primarily eat snakes, but will occasionally take mice or lizards.
There are many species of krait. The most well known are given in the table below. The default krait on the main table is the common krait.
Species | Typical venom | Size | Range | Habitat | Notes | |
Potency | Typical | Maximum | ||||
Common krait, B. caeruleus | medium | 100 g | 500 g | India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka | Fields, grasslands, scrub, jungle, villages. Prefers near water. | Black with white bands around body. |
Banded krait, B. fasciatus | feeble | 1 kg | 1.5 kg | Throughout India and southeast Asia | Forests, plains, croplands, villages; typically near water | Bold yellow and black bands encircle body. |
Chinese krait, B. multicinctus | extreme | 200 g | 700 g | China, Taiwan | Forest, shrubland, mangroves, fields. | Black with white bands around body. |